Research shows that automating your 401(k) can help your employees save money for retirement. Below, you'll find landmark studies and the latest research and information to help you better understand, and build support for, 401(k) automation in your workplace.

Research shows that among adult households aged 55 and older, most have less than $10,000 saved for retirement. Find out more about the importance of saving and how it affects your employees’ future.

The 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey: Having a Retirement Savings Plan a Key Factor in Americans’ Retirement Confidence
The 25th wave of the Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) finds that Americans’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement has continued to rebound from the record lows experienced between 2009 and 2013. This increased level of confidence does not appear to be grounded on improved retirement preparations. In the aggregate, worker savings remain low and only a minority appears to be taking basic steps needed to prepare for retirement. Instead, increasing confidence appears to be based on the increasing optimism of those who indicate they and/or their spouse have a retirement plan.Download Full Report

Rethinking Retirement: Moving Ahead Without Leaving Anyone Behind
The AARP Public Policy Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce convened experts to discuss improving retirement security. The event brought together key stakeholders, policy makers, advocacy groups, employers (large and small) and the financial service industry in a critical discussion about how to increase retirement savings.Download Full Report

Automatic Features Contribute to 401(k) "Wellness"
The latest Bank of America Merrill Lynch 401(k) Wellness Scorecard noted, "Tools such as automatic enrollment, age-based default investments and guidance are helping workers improve their financial wellness." The quarterly scorecard monitors plan participant behavior and plan sponsor adoption of new plan design features and services among 401(k) plans Band of America Merrill Lynch administers.Download Full Report

Retirement Planning in the Age of Longevity
Retirement is an emotional issue and not just financial. People are unprepared to look at finances and will be disengaged from the process until they’ve managed emotions.Download Full Report

Latino Participation in 401(k) Plans Helped by Automatic Features
A recent Statistical Brief from the National Council of La Raza notes that traditional 401(k) plans are not serving many Latinos as well as they could. One remedy: automatic features. In the public sector, where defined-benefit retirement plans with automatic enrollment are relatively common, Latino workers are on a more even footing with their co-workers in terms of retirement plan participation: 76 percent of White public sector workers participate in their retirement plan, as do 68 percent of Latinos. However, in the private sector, 22 percent of Latinos participated in an employer-sponsored retirement plan in 2006, compared to 45 percent of White workers in the private sector.Download Full Report

New Research from EBRI: Low-Income Workers Likely to Benefit More Than Thought from Auto-Enrollment in 401(k) Plans
New research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute finds that auto-enrollment of participants in 401(k) plans is likely to be most beneficial to young and low-income workers, although high-income workers are likely to benefit from it as well. Download Full Report

Research Findings—Automatic Enrollment in 401(k) Plans Leads to Higher Match Rates
New research from the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) finds that employers adopting automatic enrollment in their 401(k) plans have also generally increased the "employer match" to participant’s accounts—in some cases, by a significant amount. The EBRI research is the first using actual plan information on both actual auto enrollment and actual match rate information both before and after adoption of auto enrollment. Download Full Report

Vanguard Analysis of First-Quarter 2009 Participant Activity
Vanguard analysis of first-quarter 2009 participant activity indicates that the median balance of participants’ accounts fell by 17 percent from January 2008 through March 2009. About 36 percent of participants saw their account balances rise or remain flat. Nearly 20 percent of participants saw their balances fall in a range of 1 percent to 20 percent. About three in 10 experienced declines of more than 30 percent over the 15 months.Download Full Report

2010 401(k) Benchmarking Survey shows strong gains in automatic enrollment adoption, satisfaction
The 2010 installment of the 401(k) Benchmarking Survey revealed that the spotlight is shifting to retirement readiness as plan sponsors are taking an increased interest in whether employees are preparing for a comfortable retirement. In fact, for the first time we saw "participant retirement readiness" move up as one of the most important improvements plan sponsors want from providers. The survey results offer a detailed snapshot of the 401(k) policies, features, objectives and expectations of hundreds of diverse employers. More than 600 companies responded to the survey.Read the Survey

Statement by David C. John before the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans on Current Challenges and Best Practices for ERISA Compliance for 403(b) Plan SponsorsDownload PDF

Investor Education—Low-Cost Program Can Bring High Returns for EmployeesRead the Study

2009 Retirement Made Simpler Survey of Employee Sentiments on Saving for RetirementDownload PDF